1851A Half Silver Swiss Franc (sitting Helvetia)

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1851A Half Silver Swiss Franc (sitting Helvetia)

OBVERSE

REVERSE

GENERAL

Type:

Half Silver Swiss Franc (sitting Helvetia)

Origin:

Switzerland

Cat. Num.:

KM# 8

Era / Ruler:

Swiss Confederation

Face Value:

1/2 Franc

Issued from:

1850

Issued until:

1851

Alignment:

Desgr. / Engr.:

Obverse:

Sitting Helvetia

Reverse:

Value, date within wreath

ISSUE

Year:

1851A

Mint:

Mintage:

Scarcity:

Valuation:

Notes:

Grades & Prices available:

SPECIFICATIONS

Composition:

Silver

Fineness:

0.9000

Weight(g):

2.5000g

Weight(Oz):

0.08 Oz

Net Content:

0.07 Oz (2.25g)

Bullion Value:

$1.06

Diameter:

Thickness:

DESCRIPTION

In 1850, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 rappen and ½, 1, 2, and 5 francs, with the 1 and 2 rappen struck in bronze, the 5, 10, and 20 rappen in billon, and the franc denominations in .900 fine silver. Between 1860 and 1863, .800 fine silver was used, before the standard used in France of .835 fineness was adopted for all silver coins except the 5 francs (which remained .900 fineness). In 1879, billon was replaced by cupro-nickel in the 5 and 10 rappen and by nickel in the 20 rappen.

Both world wars only had a small effect on the Swiss coinage, with brass and zinc coins temporarily being issued. In 1931, the size of the 5 franc coin was reduced from 25 grams to 15, with the silver content reduced to .835 fineness. The next year, nickel replaced cupro-nickel in the 5 and 10 rappen.

In the late 1960s, due to their linkage to the devaluing U.S. dollar, the prices of internationally traded commodities rose significantly. A silver coin's material value exceeded its monetary value, and many were being sent abroad for melting, which prompted the federal government to make this practice illegal. The statute was of little effect, and the melting of francs only subsided when the collectible value of the remaining francs again exceeded their material value.